Americana
by awesomesauce101
Summary: Castiel visits the bunker to say one last goodbye to Dean.
1. Chapter 1

**So not only is the whole demon Dean thing getting to me, but freaking **_**Cas's face when he thought Dean was dead. And he still doesn't know that Dean's alive.**_** I lost the ability to can with that episode. I'm still not okay. Is it October yet?**

"He's dead too."

It's just three little words, but their impact is huge, shattering Castiel's world like it's made of glass. He can't bring himself to believe that Dean, the man whom he'd risked everything for, is gone. Everything that transpires thereafter goes by in a blur. He feels numb, like there's no reason for any of this anymore if the one person he'd done it for is dead.

The only thing that he's thinking when he leaves Heaven is that he has to see him. Even if it's to grieve over his body and say one last goodbye, he has to see Dean. The drive to the bunker seems to take an eternity and when he gets there, the sight of Sam, near mindless with anger and sadness does nothing to quell the feelings inside him.

He makes his way to Dean's room, heart heavy with dread and he inhales sharply once he sees his hunter lying motionless on his bed. He sits on the edge of the bed, wishing for nothing more than the power to bring Dean back to him. Tears well up in his eyes, falling before he has a chance to wipe them away. He brings his hands up to Dean's face, skin cold beneath his fingers. He still can't believe it, even though the evidence is lying in front of him.

He leans down, resting his forehead against Dean's, closing his eyes tightly.

"Dean, I'm so sorry," he whispers.

He knows that he shouldn't, but he draws on the last of his dwindling Grace, using everything he has to try and revive his human. He heals Dean's wounds, one by one until the only thing left to do is start his heart beating again. He rests one of his hands on Dean's chest, pouring all his power into the palm of his hand and sending it into his body.

After a few exhausting moments, he finally feels a thud beneath Dean's skin. Breath pours over his face and he opens his eyes, staring down into bright green ones that are just as beautiful as the day he'd pulled him from Hell. He laughs in relief, smile blooming on his face.

Before he has a chance to think twice, he leans the rest of the way down and presses his lips to Dean's. His heart sings in his chest as Dean wraps his arms around him and kisses back, full of life and love for the angel who's saved him so many times.

"I love you," he murmurs against Dean's lips.

Before Dean can reply, light starts to fill the room. It glows softly underneath Cas' skin and he knows what's happening. The little bit of Grace he had left is dying and it's taking him with. He covers Dean's eyes with one of his hands, not wishing for him to see this.

"Cas? What's happening?" Dean says, trying to pull away Cas' hand.

Cas only shakes his head, forgetting that Dean can't see the gesture. He laces his free hand with one of Dean's, twining their fingers together.

"My Grace is burning out. Just as Metatron said it would," he answers.

"You're dying?" Dean rephrases.

"Yes."

The hunter's attempts to pry Cas' hands away become more frantic at his answer. Dean shakes his head, not accepting the fact that Cas is going to be leaving him.

"No, you can't go. There has to be something-"

"There is nothing we can do, Dean."

"Cas, please, don't go."

"I'm sorry," Cas says, squeezing Dean's hand in his.

He leans down one last time, placing a gentle kiss on Dean's forehead. The light flares brighter and he closes his eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Dean shouts his name just as his Grace burns itself out, filling the room with holy light. The hand covering his eyes slides away with ease and Dean blinks, staring down at Cas' unmoving body lying next to him. He swallows thickly, waiting for Cas to move.

"Cas?" he chokes out.

He reaches out, checking for a pulse, breathing, anything to indicate his angel is alive. He feels nothing and everything turns cold. He starts talking to Cas, begging him to wake up, unable to accept that he's gone. He pulls Cas into his arms, smoothing his messy hair back and praying for him to open his eyes.

When Cas doesn't move, Dean buries his head into his angel's shoulder, letting the tears come and he clutches him tighter as sobs wrack his body. And when he finally regains his composure, he presses a kiss to Castiel's forehead.

"I love you too."

* * *

**So I know this really doesn't help matters any, but I was listening to the Supernatural soundtrack and other sad songs and it made me sad and I wanted to write something and it just ended up like this. Title of the fic is the name of a song from the soundtrack, you know, the one that plays during Chuck's narration at the end of Swan Song. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I've been busy with college and stuff. Anyways, I was going through some of my stuff and while rereading Americana, I thought, well I can't just end it like that. So here's a sequel with a happy ending. **

Sam shows up a little later, surprised and relieved to see Dean alive and well. It's short lived, however, when he sees Cas' body lying motionless on his brother's bed. Dean is cradling him close, hand smoothing back dark hair as he whispers endearments to the angel.

"Dean?" he says tentatively.

"Sam, please, help me," Dean says, finally looking up at his brother. His green eyes are shining with tears and Sam realizes what must have happened, what Cas must have done.

He walks over to the bed and sits down, staring at his fallen friend. It's hard to believe he's gone. Cas has been a constant in their lives ever since he brought Dean back from the pit. And his relationship with his older brother hasn't gone unnoticed either. Sam's never said anything before, but he always knew. It was in the way Cas looked at Dean, like he was everything important in the world, in the way Cas sacrificed everything to save Dean. They owe him more than a hunter's funeral and tearful goodbye. There has to be a way to get him back. With how many times they've cheated death, bringing Cas back to them isn't such a daunting task.

"I'll have to look into it, but there might be a way to bring him back," Sam says.

"And without a demon deal," he adds when he sees Dean's questioning face. "We have to get his Grace back. His original Grace."

"But I thought Metatron used it to make the angels fall," Dean says.

"We don't know for sure that there's none left. It's worth a shot," he replies.

It takes a while, but Sam finally confirms his idea in an old book. If they can bring back the Grace to the angel it belongs to, it can revive them. The only problem is they don't know what happened to Metatron. After he killed Dean, he disappeared to Heaven. Cas and Gadreel were supposed to take care of them. With Cas currently out of commission, Gadreel is their only hope to find out what happened.

A knock sounds at the door and the two exchange dubious looks before going out to answer it. Dean has an angel blade at the ready and Sam hides his gun behind his back before answering.

"Hannah?" Sam says once he sees the person standing outside.

"Castiel is dead, "she says. It's not a question. "I felt his Grace pass from this world. I'm here to help."

"And just why the hell would we trust you? You tried to get him to kill me," Dean snaps.

"That was before I knew the truth. Things are different now. Metatron is locked up in Heaven's prison," she says. "And we're pretty sure that he has Castiel's Grace stashed away somewhere."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Sam asks.

"You don't, but this is the only way to save Castiel. Trust me or don't, but he was our commander. We all want him back."

Sam glances at Dean, seeking his opinion on the matter. The older hunter nods and tucks his angel blade back into his jacket.

"What do we have to do?" he says.

A few minutes later, they're all loaded into the Impala. Sam drives with Hannah riding shotgun, navigating. Dean sits in the back, Cas' body laid out across the seat. His stillness unsettles Dean and he tries to put it out of his mind. He combs his fingers through Cas' hair and stares out the window, thinking.

_Cas, I don't know if your soul or whatever is out there somewhere, if you're hearing me at all. But we're going to save you. I'm not letting you go that easy. I love you and I'm bringing you back to me, no matter what._

"You loved him, didn't you?" Hannah asks suddenly. Her eyes watch Dean in the rearview.

Dean would normally blush at the accusation and stammer out a vehement denial. Now, he only nods, looking down at Cas.

"Dean, we're going to bring him back. You know that, right?" Sam says, glancing at him before returning his eyes to the road.

"I know. And I also know that I'm going to kill that douche for stealing his Grace," he growls, dark anger overtaking him at the notion of finally offing Metatron.

"No," Hannah says, "Castiel didn't want to kill him. He's going to rot in Heaven's jail for eternity."

Dean exhales sharply and goes back to staring out the window. As much as he hates even the idea of letting the bastard live, he agrees that that's a better punishment than death. As long as he can get in a few good punches, he'll be fine.

They finally pull up to a playground of all places. A girl and an older woman stand guard around the sandbox which has an intricate design drawn in the sand.

"Let us through, Azriel," Hannah says.

The little girl looks at the three of them and then at Cas, held carefully in Dean's arms.

"Castiel is dead?" she says. She sounds shocked, almost sad.

"Not for long," Dean grumbles, "let us in and we'll bring him back."

She stares at him for a while, almost enough to be unnerving until she finally nods. She turns to the older woman and they both start muttering a spell in Enochian. The design in the sand lights up and a column of light appears. Hannah walks into it without hesitation and Dean looks at Sam dubiously. His little brother shrugs and follows her, Dean not far behind.

This part of Heaven resembles an office building more than anything. The other angels balk at the sight of Cas as they set him down in a chair, making way for them as Hannah leads them to the dungeons. Metatron is restrained in his cell in a straightjacket, which Dean thinks is appropriate.

"Dean Winchester," Metatron says, "back from the dead. Again. Not surprising, really. Let me guess, Castiel used the last of his Grace to revive you. And now you want to bring him back by taking his old Grace to him. Well guess what, fellas. It's gone. Used up in my spell."

"You're lying," Dean growls. "And you're going to tell me. Or I'll carve you up like a Christmas turkey."

"Oh, I'm so scared. Shaking in my boots, really," Metatron mocks.

"Search his office, Sam," Dean says. His brother and Hannah both glance at him as he pulls out his angel blade.

"Dean-"

"Just go, Sam."

Hannah and Sam glance at each other before they leave, the door to the jail shutting behind them. Dean grabs the keys from the holder on the wall before unlocking the door and cornering Metatron. He twirls his angel blade in his hands, staring down the angel.

"One last chance, Metatron," he says.

Predictably, the angel says nothing, only grinning at him, like nothing Dean does will make him talk. He's about to find out just how wrong he is.

Sam and Hannah tear apart Metatron's office but they can't find anything that might lead to where Cas' Grace is hidden. When Dean walks in, hands spattered with blood, he heads over to the radio they'd used. He's careful not to damage it too much as he tries opening it. Inside, there's a glass vial with blue-white light swirling inside.

"Dean, how did you-" Sam starts.

"Metatron told me," is all the older hunter says. "And no, I didn't kill him. I wanted to, but it's better to let him suffer."

The doors swing open to the other room and he crouches down in front of Cas, opening the vial. It surges out, flowing between Cas' lips. His chest starts glowing and Dean and Sam have to shield their eyes as it works to restore its owner. Hannah taps him on the shoulder when it's safe and when he opens his eyes, Cas is staring around, bewildered. Blue eyes settle on his own and Dean never thought he'd be so happy to see them again.

"Dean, what did you do?" he asks.

"We got your Grace back. Your own Grace, not some other angel's," he says.

"But Metatron-"

"He's been dealt with," Hannah says. She smiles and so do a few of the other angels gathered in the room. "It's good to have you back, Castiel."

"Don't you dare do something that stupid ever again," Dean says sternly, lunging forward and hugging the newly revived angel.

"I had to save you," Cas says, wrapping his arms around Dean. "I couldn't bear to see you like that."

"And you think I did any better?" Dean whispers. He pulls back just enough so he can capture Cas' lips with his own.

"I love you," he says against Cas' lips.

"I love you too, Dean," Cas says.

They stand up and Cas is bit wobbly on his feet. Dean wraps an arm around his waist to steady him and they glance at the other angels.

"I'm going home," he informs them. "But if you need me, then pray to me. For now, I think you can manage on your own."

A few of them nod in agreement and Cas turns his head to kiss Dean on the cheek.

"Come on, Cas," Dean says, "let's go home."


End file.
